SATURDAY OCTOBER 28, 2023
SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY NINETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME A
FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE
Ephesians 2:19-22
Luke 6:12-19
IMITATING FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
The call of Christ comes with its challenges, tasks and mission. This is so important, so urgent and so engaging that anyone accepting such call to be Christian, as many of us did, must be ready to walk along, to suffer and to remain faithful and dedicated to the mission and call.
We celebrate the life of two eminent apostles of Christ among the twelve, who were called and they gave themselves in answer and carried out the mandate of their Master who called them. Saint Simon and Saint Jude are these two great devoted and dedicated apostles who were numbered among the initial twelve apostles in which the foundation of the Christian faith was build.
They lived and died martyrs to the faith. Their missionary activities is recognized to have taken place in Persia and the regions thereabout. Even though scanty account is known about them, they were actually identified at the beginning of their call when Jesus in the gospel of Luke our reading today after his prayers, chose them and numbered them among his faithful followers.
Simon is described as a zealot and Judas is associated as brother of James. Recall that these same disciples are the two last mentioned apostles of Christ. And in the individualistic way, Judas is known as the patron of hopeless cases while Simon is called a Zealot because of his probable membership of the sect that seeks purity and discipline in life. Again, Jude is associated with the same Jude that wrote the epistle of Jude because of his association with James as mentioned.
The message however of the feast is to stay faithful and dedicated to our calling into the Christian faith. No matter the part one plays or is called to play in the schemes of things, we must be resolute to work with Christ, to build the kingdom, to contribute meaningfully our own quota into advancing the cause of Christian ideals, teachings and life in all matters and in all circumstances of our lives.
We are therefore called to be faithful followers, dedicated members, and listening to God in Christ Jesus, and working for the spread of the faith in our own time. We do this by practically living the life, sowing the seed of love and compassion, and doing all in the spirit of Christ and his church.
As we celebrate these two great apostles of Christ, let us imitate them in faithfulness and dedication in life and faith.
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as your called these apostles of yours, Simon and Jude, so you have called us. Grant us the grace to understand and appreciate our Christian calling. May we be zealous, dedicated, and faithfully carrying out our mandate in great earnestness. Fire us with zeal for mission, love and service of your name, happiness and joy in spreading your love and may our eternal reward be assured through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
